The free agent market can be the perfect way for a club to boost their squad on the cheap, with teams such as Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain, and Juventus showcasing the power of free transfers in the last few seasons.

Of course, free transfers a lot of the time are only ”free” on the surface, with some of the top talent requiring millions in signing-on and agent fees. Nonetheless, such transfers can be low-risk moves by clubs that perhaps don’t have the biggest of budgets. Every summer there are plenty of such bargains snapped up by top clubs and here at Prost International we attempt to build the strongest starting XI out of the potential summer free agents. 

 

GOALKEEPER – Altay Bayindir (Fenerbahce)

There aren’t many top goalkeepers available on free transfers this summer, with perhaps the only other candidate for the place in our XI being Manchester United’s David de Gea. However, most of the signs lead toward the Spaniard signing a new contract at United, thus 24-year-old Türkiye international Bayindir is the most obvious choice. The Fenerbahce shot-stopper has been in impressive form this season, as his club are chasing their record 29th league title this season, with eight clean sheets (joint highest) in the Super Lig at the time of writing.

Bayindir has been previously linked with a move to Barcelona and Newcastle United, but, as his contract is set to expire this summer, Inter Milan are showing the most interest this season. The Serie A outfit are expected to let veteran goalkeeper Samir Handanovic leave this summer, with Bayindir seen as the perfect man to provide competition for Cameroon goalkeeper Andre Onana.

RIGHT-BACK – Nelson Semedo (Wolves)

Portuguese right-back Nelson Semedo was a rather surprising £28m Wolves transfer in the summer of 2020 when the Barcelona man swapped the Nou Camp for Molineux. After an impressive start to his Wolves career, Semedo’s form dipped, with injuries not helping his development in the Premier League. While the 29-year-old has since recovered and seems to be back to his best, new manager Julen Lopetegui is rumoured to be on the search for a new right-back.

This would leave Semedo free to find a new club in the summer, with Manchester United previously considered a possible destination, with boss Erik ten Hag desperate to provide serious competition for Diogo Dalot. However, with £50m man Aaron Wan-Bissaka impressing in the last few weeks, it seems that the Dutch manager will hold off on bringing in a new right-back for the time being. 

CENTRE-BACK – Milan Skriniar (Inter Milan)

Without a doubt, one of the biggest bargains of the summer transfer window will be the free transfer of Inter Milan centre-back Milan Skriniar. Skriniar has quickly become one of the standout defenders in Italy ever since his 2017 move from Sampdoria. The Slovakia captain is reportedly refusing to sign a new contract at the Milan outfit, with his current deal expiring this summer.

The 27-year-old has previously been linked with a move to the Premier League, with the likes of Chelsea, Manchester United, and Tottenham Hotspur all showing interest at some point. More recently, however, Skriniar was the subject of transfer negotiations between PSG and Inter, with the French club offering up to €55m in the summer of 2022. Inter Milan will certainly be kicking themselves for not accepting the Parisians’ offer, as L’Equipe are reporting the centre-back will join the French giants this summer on a free transfer.

CENTRE-BACK – Evan Ndicka (Eintracht Frankfurt)

Eintracht Frankfurt bagged a bargain in the summer of 2018 when they paid Auxerre just over €5m for the French defender. In 2023 though, it seems that some other club will be bagging an even bigger bargain, with the 23-year-old’s contract expiring this summer. Ndicka has been the subject of transfer rumours in the past, with Liverpool, Arsenal, Newcastle United, and Barcelona all mentioned.

All those clubs are expected to return for the centre-back this summer, with Arsenal looking like the favourites. According to German journalist Christian Falk, Arsenal have a ”very good chance” of signing the centre-back, with Spurs, Manchester United, and Barcelona hoping to hijack the deal. While many top clubs are expected to join that list, the biggest hijacking will likely come from his current club Eintracht Frankfurt, with the Bundesliga club reportedly offering the Frenchman a new three-year deal.

LEFT-BACK – Raphael Guerreiro (Borussia Dortmund)

French-born Raphael Guerreiro has been on the books of Borussia Dortmund for over six years now, but it seems like all good things must come to an end, with the Portugal international expected to depart the club on a free this summer. French newspapers are suggesting that OGC Nice are showing strong interest in the 29-year-old, who played his early career in France prior to his switch to Dortmund in 2016.

Guerreiro has reportedly been on the Ligue 1 club’s radar for the last few months, while Premier League champions Manchester City are also monitoring the left-back’s situation. Pep Guardiola has been desperately looking for more depth in the left-back position since Oleksandr Zinchenko’s move to Arsenal, with summer signing Sergio Gomez failing to impress the former Barcelona boss. While City have seemingly set their sights on Real Madrid left-back Ferland Mendy, Borussia Dortmund’s Guerreiro can be seen as a cheaper alternative.

CENTRE-MID – Jorginho (Chelsea)

Italy midfielder Jorginho is one of Chelsea’s most expensive signings, yet it seems like the 31-year-old will be allowed to leave for nothing in the summer. The Brazil-born central midfielder joined the Blues in the summer of 2018 for a fee of around £50m, but if rumours are to be believed, he will not be offered a new contract at Stamford Bridge.

Jorginho has been influential for Chelsea since his big-money move from Napoli, even serving as captain on a number of occasions. However, with Chelsea spending big since new owner Todd Boehly took over, it seems that the Italian international will be deemed surplus to requirements. Jorginho has been linked with moves to Barcelona, Juventus, and AC Milan as recently as the end of last year, however, it seems that former club Napoli are leading the race for his signature, with Jorginho set to return to his adoptive country in the summer.

CENTRE-MID – Youri Tielemans (Leicester City)

Youri Tielemans was seen as one of the best young prospects in Europe back during his Anderlecht days, which earned him a big-money move to AS Monaco in 2017. The Belgian initially struggled at the Ligue 1 outfit, which prompted a loan move to Leicester City in the Premier League. The move was made permanent the following season for £32m, and since then Tielemans has established himself as one of the best central midfielders in the league.

The 25-year-old is a crucial part of Leicester City, but with the club struggling in recent months and with Tielemans’ contract expiring in the summer, it seems likely that the Belgian international will leave the Foxes on a free at the end of the season. Manchester United and Juventus have been linked in the past, but it seems like Newcastle United and Arsenal will directly go head-to-head for the midfielder’s signature this summer. Arsenal have been rumoured to be considering a bid this month, but Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers has confirmed the midfielder will be staying at the club beyond January.

CENTRE-MID – Houssem Aouar (Lyon)

Houssem Aouar was once one of the most promising midfielders in Europe, particularly in 2020 when he was instrumental in his club reaching the semi-finals of the Champions League, which also led to his first call-up to the France national team. This form led to Arsenal taking notice, and the London club even had two offers of around £33m plus Matteo Guendouzi rejected by Lyon, with the French outfit seeking closer to £55m. Following some injury woes and a drop in form, it now seems that the 24-year-old will leave his boyhood club on a free transfer this summer.

The man that was once monitored by clubs such as Manchester United, Liverpool, Chelsea, and Manchester City, was most recently linked with moves to Crystal Palace and Nottingham Forest, showing a huge fall from grace for the Lyon native. With Aouar’s contract now expiring, it seems that clubs might be willing to take the risk that Arsenal refused to take back in 2020, with the likes of AS Roma and Real Betis thought to be interested in the midfielder.

LEFT-WINGER – Wilfried Zaha (Crystal Palace)

Wilfried Zaha was once a promising youngster, who in 2013 earned himself a big move to Manchester United. However, that big move soon turned into a big disappointment, with a loan to newly promoted Cardiff City soon following. He could not establish himself in the Manchester United team on his return, which led to a return to his beloved Crystal Palace on loan, a move which turned permanent later that season for a fraction of what United originally paid Palace for him. The return to Palace was exactly what Zaha needed and he soon recaptured his form to eventually become one of the most exciting attacking players in the Premier League.

With Crystal Palace regularly battling against relegation or simply settling for lower mid-table finishes, Zaha was regularly linked with bigger moves elsewhere, with the likes of Tottenham, Borussia Dortmund, and PSG amongst those named. Of course, none of these materialised, but now with Zaha’s contract at Palace expiring in the summer, it seems like the 30-year-old will finally leave his boyhood club for yet another big move. Arsenal, Chelsea, Roma, Juventus, and Barcelona are the clubs interested this time, and Zaha will be hoping his second attempt at a big move will be more successful than the first.

RIGHT-WINGER – Marco Asensio (Real Madrid)

Marco Asensio joined Real Madrid in the summer of 2015 for just under €4m as a promising youngster for the future. It took the Mallorca native some time to earn his place at Los Blancos, with a loan move to Espanyol as part of the process. Upon his return, he was slowly introduced into the fold at Real Madrid, but he only really became part of the equation in the last couple of seasons, directly related to the downfall of Welsh superstar Gareth Bale.

Asensio never truly nailed down a regular starting position at Real Madrid, and with the likes of Vinicius Jr. and Valverde usually preferred to the Spaniard, it seems that Asensio will look to depart the Santiago Bernabeu when his contract expires in the summer. Asensio has previously been linked with moves to the Premier League, with Arsenal and Manchester United frequently mentioned, but if the latest reports are to be believed, bitter Los Blancos rivals Barcelona are in talks to sign the 27-year-old winger.

CENTRE-FORWARD – Marcus Thuram (Borussia M’Gladbach)

Marcus Thuram has a lot to live up to, with father Lilian a decorated former France international defender. His son Marcus has instead found success at the other end of the pitch, with the 25-year-old forward attracting serious interest from some of Europe’s biggest clubs. Thuram began his professional career in his native France, before earning a €9m move to the Bundesliga with Borussia Monchengladbach in 2019.

While Thuram was never truly an out-and-out striker at Gladbach, he had an impressive return each season, registering at least 20 goal contributions in all competitions up until the 2021/22 season, when injuries hit, leading Thuram to miss almost half of the league games that season. Nonetheless, it seems that the Frenchman is back to his best this season, racking up a career joint-highest 10 goals by January of this year. Thuram has previously been linked with Newcastle United and Bayern Munich, but now with his contract expiring in the summer, Chelsea and Manchester United have also joined the race.